By 1896, the Paisley mills had educational facilities in the form of the Half-Timers school, fire-fighting facilities, dining halls, baths, reading rooms, a gym, bowling greens, tennis courts, cricket, and other sports grounds, model cottages for some of their employees, and a hostel for single girls living away from home. Health matters were taken care of with sanatoria and medical centers which not only included the services of doctors and nurses, but dentists and podiatrists as well. In the 1920s, after an outbreak of smallpox, the workers were encouraged to have vaccinations, and given a bounty of £1 if they did!
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Also, in the 1920s, Coats became one of the earliest industrial concerns to offer pensions to their female workers. The scheme was known as The Woman Thread Worker’s Benefit Fund. A sickness benefit was also included. In 1946, the company established a Welfare Department which looked after such matters as recreation and visiting sick employees. The amalgamation and competitive cooperation that began in 1912 between these two thread manufacturing giants has been modified several times. In 1952, J&P Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats & Clark. After being held by several holding companies, in 2015 the business returned to the market as Coats Group.
Issue #94